HardTimes.ca has uploaded video footage of Santa Cruz, California-based progressive hardcore/death metallers ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS' June 28, 2009 concert at the Underworld in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Watch it below.
ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS' new album, "Portals", is scheduled for a July 14 release via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded by Zack Ohren (AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ALL SHALL PERISH) and features 11 glorious grinders like "My Cup's Half Empty" and "Violence in Fluid - Triceratops".
According to a press release, "Portals" sees ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS "in new form, now using only one vocalist instead of their previous two-singer attack. The presence of the one vocalist serves to sharpen the band's straight-ahead metal attack and more importantly creates a cohesive album the flows perfectly from start to finish."
For a list of upcoming ARSONISTS GET ALL THE GIRLS shows, go to www.myspace.com/agatg.
Norway's THE KONSORTIUM has parted ways with its guitarist and is currently seeking a replacement. Interested parties can get in touch with the band by writing to info(at)konsortium.net.
THE KONSORTIUM recently inked a two-album deal with Agonia Records. The band's full-length debut is tentatively due before the end of 2009.
According to a press release, THE KONSORTIUM performs "black metal with various thrash, avant-garde and non-metal influences creating [its] own atmosphere and identity. THE KONSORTIUM features various members. Some of them better and some of them [not as well] known to the metal (but not only) community."
For more information, visit THE KONSORTIUM's MySpace page.
Fan-filmed video footage of Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD performing their classic 1989 song "Nothingface" at this year's Gods Of Metal festival on June 27, 2009 in Monza, Italy, can be viewed below.
01. Voivod 02. The Unknown Knows 03. Global Warning 04. Tribal Conviction 05. Overreaction 06. Nothingface 07. Astronomy Domine
"Infini", the new album from Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD, sold around 840 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Note: Internet/digital sales **ARE** included in the SoundScan totals.) The CD landed at position No. 67 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
VOIVOD's final album featuring the group's late guitarist, Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, "Infini" was released in the U.S. on June 23 via Relapse Records. The CD, which was issued in Europe via Nuclear Blast, contains the last thirteen songs written by Piggy and again features bassist Jason "Jasonic" Newsted (ex-METALLICA). Jason played bass on all the songs and mixed the album, which was released as a deluxe, digipack CD and was also issued on vinyl as a double LP.
"Infini" was built from the final songs created by the band with D'Amour. All his original demo guitar tracks appear as they were recorded — with no re-amping and no overdubs; just Piggy as he played the tracks he envisioned in his small bachelor apartment, the amp in the bathroom, capturing his performance with the laptop given to him by Jason.
Hellena Miahailidou of Metalzone.gr recently conducted an interview with VOIVOD vocalist Denis "Snake" Belanger. The chat is now available is text and audio format at this location.
Released in July 2006 on The End Records, VOIVOD's "Katorz" album has sold 10,300 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
METALLICA played a snippet of MICHAEL JACKSON's "Beat It" before going into QUEEN's "Stone Cold Crazy" during last night's (July 4) Sonisphere concert in Hockenheim, Germany. Frontman James Hetfield stated that "Beat It" features "a main influence" on METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett's playing, presumably referring to Eddie Van Halen, who is featured in the original version of the track.
Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.
The show was METALLICA's final German gig of 2009 and according to MetOnTour, drummer Lars Ulrich stated, "The best crowd was saved for last."
METALLICA's setlist was as follows:
01. Fight Fire With Fire 02. Ride The Lightning 03. Holier Than Thou 04. Fuel 05. Fade To Black 06. Broken, Beat And Scarred 07. Cyanide 08. Sad But True 09. One 10. All Nightmare Long 11. The Day That Never Comes 12. Master Of Puppets 13. My Apocalypse 14. Nothing Else Matters 15. Enter Sandman - - - - - - - - 16. ["Beat It" snippet going into] Stone Cold Crazy 17. Trapped Under Ice 18. Seek and Destroy
Tonight's (July 5) METALLICA concert at the Rock Werchter festival in Werchter, Belgium will be available for listening and/or viewing via live radio and webcasts.
As previously reported, METALLICA's July 7, 2009 concert in Nimes, France at Arènes de Nîmes will be professionally filmed for a forthcoming DVD release. The disc will be made available on October 19 through French music stores and online shops only, as well as via the band's official web site, Metallica.com.
WorMee will stream METALLICA's concert in Nimes from July 10 until July 13. You just need to register with the site to watch, and the stream is available to everyone around the world.
METALLICA's three concerts in Mexico City were also filmed for a separate DVD release. The band played Mexico City for the first time in a decade on June 4, June 6 and June 7, with the group keeping the shows on its schedule despite the recent outbreak of swine flu that originated in the area.
METALLICA has issued several DVDs in the past, including "Cliff 'Em All", "Cunning Stunts", "S&M With The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra" and "A Year And A Half".
The band, recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, continues to tour behind "Death Magnetic", which has sold 1.78 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. They'll play Europe throughout the summer before returning to North America in the fall.
German hardcore/metal act THE DESTINY PROGRAM (formerly DESTINY) has issued the following update:
"We are currently recording our upcoming full-length [album] and get everything mixed and mastered by senor-incredible Tue Madsen until mid-August. The new yet-untitled record will be released in November by an as yet undisclosed-label. A release tour for December is also in the making and if you interested in setting up a show contact Rebirth Agency: info@rebirthagency.com."
THE DESTINY PROGRAM's latest CD, "Subversive Blueprint", was released in September 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2004's "The Tracy Chapter" (Lifeforce Records) was recorded with producers Anders Fridén (IN FLAMES) and Daniel Bergstrand and was mixed by Tue Madsen at his Antfarm studio in Denmark.
THE DESTINY PROGRAM's video for the song "Project Hoax", which was shot August 3-5, 2007 in Berlin with the True Jokx Videoproduction team, can be viewed below.
Reunited '90s British rockers SKUNK ANANSIE will release a new song, "Tear The Place Up", this coming week. The band says, "It's the first of three new songs we'll be releasing from our forthcoming 'greatest-hits' album, due later in the year."
MySpace will be hosting the video for "Tear The Place Up" exclusively for one week starting Monday, July 6.
SKUNK ANANSIE will embark on the "Greatest Hits Tour" in October/November.
The band played two low-key shows London's Water Rats venue on April 2 and April 3 under the pseudonym S.C.A.M. (a combination of the first-name initials of the four bandmembers).
SKUNK ANANSIE — vocalist Skin (Deborah Dyer), bassist Cass (Richard Lewis), guitarist Ace (Martin Kent) and drummer Mark Richardson — split up in 2001 but announced last September that they were writing new material together.
SKUNK ANANSIE was named after the West African folk tales of Anansie the spider-man, with "skunk" added to "make the name nastier."
Video footage of SKUNK ANANSIE performing the song "Charlie Big Potato" in London in April 2009 can be viewed below.
Scott Kara of The New Zealand Herald reports: New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell has been getting tips from original shock rocker Alice Cooper, better known for his macabre blood-and-guts stage show.
The 2005 U.S. Open winner's form has been going through a long-running slump, but taking advice on fixing it from a 61-year-old rocker who was an alcoholic for almost half his 40-year career might still not seem the best option.
However, Cooper has serious golf credentials. He plays off a three or four handicap, is one of the best golfers on the all-star celebrity circuit and his book, "Golf Monster", is a tell-all account of how he transformed from an alcoholic to a golf addict in the mid-'80s.
Arkansas' VORE has announced the reissue of its first two releases, "Lord Of Storms" (2001) and "Dead King's Eyes" (1997), on one crushing disc. The out-of-print albums have been remastered by Colin Davis and come packaged in a six-panel digipack featuring the original artwork as well as an additional lyrics insert. The first fifty fans to order the disc will also receive a numbered copy of the band's comic book, "To Be A God", signed by artist Terry Thielen.
Visit www.vore.org to place your order. The tracks are also available on iTunes.
In other VORE news, the band recently entered the studio with Chuck Schaff of DEADBIRD fame to record a brand new track, "Throne To The Wolves", which has been posted on the group's MySpace page. An accompanying video for the song (shot by David Lipke) is available for viewing on the page as well. In addition, the band, which has recently been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Northern Arkansas Music Awards, will be returning to the studio later this year to record the follow up to 2005's "Maleficus".
Former MEGADETH/current F5 bassist David Ellefson has issued the following update:
"This past week I visited my hometown of Jackson, Minnesota to be with my family while my mother underwent heart surgery. Thankfully, all went well and she is quickly recovering. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
"Prior to my trip, the Jackson County Historical Society Museum (located in the nearby town of Lakefield, MN) contacted me to contribute my historical perspective on the story of the now-legendary girl Mary Jane Twilliger, whom the song 'Mary Jane' on [MEGADETH's] 'So Far, So Good…So What' album was written [about]. Legend had it she was a young witch buried alive by her father in the nearby Loon Lake, MN cemetery. The mystery surrounding her grew to such legendary proportions over the years that it was rumoured anyone who dared violate her grave in any was was doomed to a certain and immediate death. There were even stories of deadly car crashes involving people who got drunk and caused mayhem on her grave, thinking it was all harmless fun.
"The song helped propel the myth to global status and a book is now being written on the subject of the many ubiquitous stories, reported deaths and tragedies of people who dared challenge the grave of this mysterious girl. The Historical Society relocated the headstone from her grave to the museum, which I got to take a picture with on my visit.
"Check out a few photos now posted in the gallery (her tombstone’s epitaph was the inspiration to the bridge section lyric of the song).
Beware my friends, as you pass by So you are now, so once was I As I am now, so you must be Prepare my friends to follow me
"The Society also asked that I contribute some items from my personal collection to the museum. It is their way to recognize a native of the area who went on to national acclaim during their lifetime. Obviously, I was honored. My father was heavily involved in the Society when I was a kid so being able to make a contribution from my life's work to a cause he championed is a true milestone for me."
KISS drummer Eric Singer has issued the following update via the band's official web site:
"You wanted the best?
"Well, the wait is almost over...
"I have been hearing KISS fans say for a longtime that 'All's we want is NEW KISS music'... Well, sometimes wishes do come true!
"Last December, Paul [Stanley, guitar/vocals] called me up saying he wanted to make a new KISS record. He seemed very keen and was very specific about the approach to our latest endeavors. He basically said he wanted us to make a KISS record and music in the purest sense. Meaning no outside writers, the BAND plays on everything, and we use vintage equipment.
"Guess what? The end result is everything I could have hoped for.
"I have to say this has been the most fun and pleasure making a record I have ever been involved in. The chemistry and overall vibe really made for such a great atmosphere and the playing, sounds and songs just really capture what KISS is all about. Classic rock & roll.
"As we were working up song ideas, everyone was very in tune and conscious of our goals at all times. Gene [Simmons, bass/vocals] and Paul would retrace their steps from the past and focused on paying tribute to their roots of the early styles of classic KISS by paying close attention to the way they sang and the sounds of the instruments.
"The camaraderie between everyone and especially Gene and Paul really made it easy for all to bring the best out of each other.
"Paul took the reigns and headed up the project like the leader that he has been for over 35 years but, this time with a renewed, inspired and very patient style (he is a great dad after all). He really knew what he wanted from each of us individually and collectively.
"We did the 11 new songs in small batches by getting into a rehearsal studio first to work up ideas. We then would move to the recording studio. The recordings would entail all of us playing 'live' together in the room. As we captured each performance, we would then add extra guitar parts and usually put a guide vocal on the track so we could live with it for a few days and make sure the tempos and vibe was right.
"By the way, we used NO click tracks on this record I am proud to say. We really went for capturing the live feel and essence of each song. And, Paul, Gene, Tommy [Thayer, guitar] and myself are the only musicians playing these songs. A true band effort and performance!
"As for the songs? Well, no ballads, no slow songs, no filler... The band really has come full circle. Just pure straight-ahead rock and roll that has all the elements that made you love KISS from day one. Everyone sings lead on a song (Tommy and myself) and even trade off vocal lines and parts throughout the record.
"Believe me, the wait IS over and well worth it!
"I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it...
Acclaimed guitarist-turned-producer James Murphy (TESTAMENT, DEATH, OBITUARY) recently laid down two guest solos on the debut album STRUCTURE OF INHUMANITY, the band featuring PYRAMAZE keyboardist Jonah Weingarten. Entitled "Completion Integration", the CD is being produced by Murphy and SOILWORK guitarist Peter Wichers, who also makes a guest appearance on the record.
Video footage of Murphy laying down his guest leads on the STRUCTURE OF INHUMANITY CD can be viewed below.
In addition to Weingarten, STRUCTURE OF INHUMANITY's lineup includes Clay Barton (SUSPYRE) and Eugene Smith (LEGION OF CARCAROTH). The band features "a dual vocal assault as well as blistering and insanely melodic melodies and solos" provided by Weingarten and axe-shredder Mike Iuzzolino, according to a press release.
According to the band's official bio, "The basic groundwork that became the foundation of the STRUCTURE OF INHUMANITY sound was melodic, epic, occasionally progressive, and over-the-top heavy metal, strongly rooted in the Swedish and Finnish sound, with a touch of American-style riffing. Influences ranging from SOILWORK, ICED EARTH, EDGE OF SANITY, ARCH ENEMY, CHILDREN OF BODOM, and, of course, PYRAMAZE can be heard."
The Phil Lewis-fronted version of L.A. GUNS has parted ways with bassist Scotty Griffin and has replaced him with Kenny Kweens (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES).
Commented Lewis: "One of [Scotty's] side projects has hit the jackpot. THE KING MIXERS have been offered a residency at the Sunset Station Casino in Vegas where he'll be playing every Saturday night for at least a year. Naturally, we're sorry to see him go; it's been a true pleasure having him with us for over two hundred shows over the last couple of years. He's a great musician and a very fun guy to have out on the road. He will be sincerely missed."
Regarding Griffin's relacement, Lewis said, "We've been friends with Kenny for a long time and have tried to get him in the band several times and now it seems the stars are aligned and the timing's right, so he'll be picking up the slack from Scotty. His first show with us will be opening for WHITESNAKE at the Tyson Event Center in Sioux City, Iowa on July 18 and all the rest of the shows we have booked until the end of the year, including three weeks in Europe in September.
He added, "We've been working songs from the set in the studio with [Kenny] and he sounds amazing. Him and Steve [Riley, drums] have great chemistry and the music sounds very solid. Both Stacey [Blades, guitar] and I are delighted to have such a gentleman in the band.
"It's our first change in lineup since Adam [Hamilton, bass] left almost three years ago, so we all feel very fortunate to have such a good player join us for a very busy summer and hopefully some recording when things quieten down at the end of the year."
L.A. GUNS' latest album, "Tales from the Strip", was released in August 2005 in the U.S. via Shrapnel Records. The CD, which was produced by Andy Johns (LED ZEPPELIN, THE ROLLING STONES), was lyrically inspired by a historically significant rock scene that L.A. GUNS had a strong hand in creating.
Phil Lewis' L.A. GUNS is not to be confused with the Tracii Guns-led version of the group, which is also continuing to record and perform under the L.A. GUNS moniker.
HALLOWS EVE, RAVAGE, ASKA and TWISTED TOWER DIRE are among the confirmed bands for the Pathfinder Metalfest, set to take place October 23-24, 2009 at the Local Music Venue (inside Sidelines Sports Grille) in Marietta, Georgia.
The festival billing is as folows:
Friday, October 23:
RAVAGE HALLOWS EVE ZEPHANIAH BRUTAL LANGUAGE SERIES OVERKILL
Saturday, October 24:
ASKA TWISTED TOWER DIRE HALCYON WAY A LOWER DEEP VOR
The Local Music Venue boasts some of the best lighting and sound for a medium-sized venue in the metro Atlanta region. Along with the bands, there will be vendors selling modern and classic metal CDs, DVDs, and shirts.
Commented Hoyt Parris of Pathfinder Promotions, "We've worked steadily for three years at rebuilding the metro Atlanta metal scene with melodic, progressive, power, and thrash metal acts. And now as it appears we are on the cusp of the New Wave of Traditional Metal, we are proud to announce the culmination of those efforts.
"This 'fest' actually started off humbly enough as one of our monthly local showcases with a regional special guest. But word got out and we were bombarded with requests to join the bill by several acts who have played their share of fests all over the U.S. and Europe. So the Saturday show quickly grew and bled over into Friday night. And the rest will go down in history!"
Tickets are scheduled to go on sale on August 1 and will be available through Ticket Alternative as well as through the bands' web sites (via PayPal).
Austria's Stormbringer.at webzine conducted an interview with DOWN drummer Jimmy Bower on June 24, 2009 prior to the band's concert in Vienna. Watch the nine-minute chat below.
In a recent interview with Holland's FaceCulture, DOWN/ex-PANTERA bassist Rex Brown stated about DOWN's plans for a new studio album, "We have a bunch of stuff left over from the last record. What we wanna do is just go back to a bare-bones approach — get back to good old riffs, and that's the way we're gonna approach this record.
He added, "I think right now heavy riffs are fuckin' in. And it's not that we're following any trend or anything. We went as far as we possibly could with the last record — I mean, that thing was a monster — but we don't wanna go through that period again of taking a year to put it together. For what it was, it was a great record — [it] still is, and always will be. We went really raw on the second one, and then the third one, we really wanted to delve into all kinds of different stuff."
"I'll just put it this way: Phil [Anselmo, vocals] and I have a bunch of ideas that are recorded on tape. And he has three with the band that I played on or Kirk [Windstein, DOWN guitarist] might have played on. So there's like three heavy ones and like... I write a bunch of stuf on acoustic, but that's not gonna happen on this record. We can do that at a different time, and it'll still stand the test of time, I promise you that."
"We can go knock out a record in 15 days or 30 days, or we can... We've just gotta make it right. That's all I can say. I'm not gonna give you a date, I'm not gonna give you a time period or anything. When it comes out, it'll be bad-ass."
DOWN will tour select U.S. markets with the MELVINS in August/September. The group will then return to the studio from October through December to record what will eventually become the fourth DOWN album, tentatively due in early 2010.
DOWN's forthcoming CD will tentatively be produced by Dave Fortman, a former member of UGLY KID JOE who has also worked with such artists as MUDVAYNE and EVANESCENCE.
Anselmo recently spent time at home in New Orleans recovering from surgery. He said in an April online posting, "this time it was a semi-torn ACL [anterior cruciate ligament, one of four ligaments that are critical to the stability of the knee joint] and a semi-torn meniscus [a common knee injury that can cause pain in the joint]."
Fan-filmed video footage of Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA performing the song "Cry For The Moon" at this year's Gods Of Metal festival on June 27, 2009 in Monza, Italy can be viewed below.
Twenty high-quality photos of the show are available at Musica Metal.
The band's setlist was as follows:
01. Indigo 02. The Obsessive Devotion 03. Quietus 04. Fools Of Damnation 05. Cry For The Moon 06. Sancta Terra 07. Consign To Oblivio
EPICA guitarist Mark Jansen revealed in a recent interview that the band's next studio album will be called "Design Your Universe". The group entered Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany on March 2 with producer Sascha Paeth to begin recording the follow-up to 2007's "The Divine Conspiracy", tentatively due in September/October via Nuclear Blast Records.
EPICA singer Simone Simons previously stated about the band's new material, "It is so exciting! I love the new songs and can't wait to play them live."
EPICA released a double live CD, titled "The Classical Conspiracy", on May 8 through Nuclear Blast Records. The album was recorded in Miskolc, Hungary, on June 14 2008 during the Miskolc International Opera Festival. The band performed a 45-minute set of metal adaptations of classical songs and movie soundtracks, accompanied by the orchestra and choir as well as symphonic versions of its own songs (including a few orchestral songs from singles and "The Score", which had never been played live before).
RAZR13, the Austin, Texas-based band featuring young hotshot guitarist Big Bald Mike, bassist Ryan 13, and drummer JRAB, with vocals by legendary KING'S X frontman Doug "dUg" Pinnick, is streaming two songs — "Reflections" and "Fourth Of July" — at this location.
RAZR13 has strong ties to the KING'S X family: Ryan 13 is dUg's bass tech, JRAB is Jerry Gaskill's drum tech and also serves as the KING'S X tour manager, and Big Bald Mike has been providing both road crew and security assistance to KING'S X for many years.
RAZR13's debut album, "Reflections", will be released later this summer on Rock Army Records. The CD features 11 tracks of modern metal that is unlike anything Pinnick has previously done.
Rock Army, the Austin-based label/distributor for independent artists, is run by Paul Soroski (PODUNK).
Frontman Sean Peck of San Diego metallers CAGE will guest on DJ Will's KNAC.COM show "The Vault" today (Sunday, July 5) at 11:30 a.m PST.
To listen to the show live via the Internet, visit www.knac.com.
CAGE's fifth album, "Science Of Annihilation", was released in Europe on May 22 through Music Buy Mail (June 7 in the rest of the world). The follow-up to the epic "Hell Destroyer", "Science Of Annihilation" sees CAGE "pushing its boundaries yet again in every department," according to a press release. "With tracks like 'Planet Crusher', 'Speed Kills', and 'The Scarlet Witch', be prepared to feel the need to turn it up, get in your car and drive fast as Hell! All of the classic CAGE heavy metal sound is intact and found all throughout this 12-track smasher! Like all previous CAGE offerings, these songs will stick in your mind and cause many sleepless nights! If you love classic metal anthems, vocals that soar to the heavens and shatter glass, riffs that crunch your spine, and drums that blaze with thunder then behold…the science of annihilation!!"
Christopher Porter of the Washington Post Express recently conducted an interview with guitarist Mike Schleibaum of Washington D.C. metallers DARKEST HOUR. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Washington Post Express: What really happened with Kris and DARKEST HOUR?
Schleibaum: Let's put it this way: The press is an interesting place to tell the dirty insides of the way a band operates. So, in fairness to Kris and our friendship .... The problem with DARKEST HOUR is it's kind of like a tribe. We have the same sound guy and the same tour manager and the same merch guy forever. There's eight of us and we live in that little fuckin' van right there. We were friends before the band, and sometimes in this fucked-up world — because this is really a fucked-up world to be a touring musician. People think you're famous as shit — and you don't have no money. People think you're rich — and you can't buy a Value Meal at McDonald's. So, it's a fucked a game to be in, and in this messed up world, sometimes real-life problems start to creep in, and it just got to the point where there were problems that were creeping into the band that didn't have anything to do with the band that got overwhelming. And from a friendship point, we were like, "Hey, man, we need a break so people can figure out what they want." And when that time happened, certain people decided that they couldn't handle what this band's about.
Washington Post Express: Did it have anything to do with him being a new father?
Schleibaum: He has a kid, but it has nothing to do with the fact that he has a kid. Our bass player, Paul [Burnette], has a kid and he negotiates being in a band and raising a kid very well. It's more to do with — not wanting to air a dude's personal shit. I'm trying to respect him as a friend by saying, "Hey, all you have to know as a listener is: You like DARKEST HOUR as an entity? Well, it wouldn't exist if we kept going the way we were." We had to make some changes, and I believe his life will be much better off and our lives will be better off, and there's where we put it. I know it sounds super political, but why do you need to know? Nobody here is Britney Spears, nobody here is a fucking rock star.
Washington Post Express: Why did you switch from Devin Townsend to Brian McTernan to produce "The Eternal Return"?
Schleibaum: Brian McTernan, our hometown guy. First of all we did Devin two times and it started to feel like — and I'm sure Devin would agree with this because he's my boy — that his sound was really starting to infiltrate the sound of the band. Not in a negative way, but just to the point were it started to get dependent, and we kind of felt like we needed to shake it up. "Undoing Ruin", "Deliver Us", there's a girl on the cover, there's a boy on the cover — they're kind of like twins, even in the way they sound, even in the songwriting. But we needed something new. We wanted to find out what is DARKEST HOUR. Our friend Brian is in Fells Point, it's close to home, it's real, he's been producing bands for a decade after he did that last DARKEST HOUR, he knows where we came from, he knows where we want to go to, and he knows the industry. It just felt like we needed to go back to somebody who know where we came from to figure out the actual essence of what we're trying to do. What I feel like we got is — I'm not saying there aren't bands who aren't playing Swedish-influenced death metal, but I am saying now DARKEST HOUR has a sound and we sort of found that by instead of saying, "What can we do different? Let's make it more melodic, or make it more prog, or let's make it faster." We just figured out what the fuck's badass, do that, make some songs you like to listen to, there's tons of shredding and all the bullshit that all the other songs have to make them intricate, but this is a band that grew up in front of everybody. We've been touring since I was right out of college; we've been touring since '99. We grew up in front of everybody, and every record got a little better. This record is, like, adults who beat the fuck out of each other to make some pissed-off shit. We still love metal, there's eight of us in that van, we're all hanging out, all here all day at a heavy metal fest ... just because we love it. ... The record is a reflection of that, as supposed to other bands who aren't that happy with what they're doing.
Chris Riemenschneider of the Star Tribune recently conducted an interview with POISON singer Bret Michaels. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
On being toppled by a descending stage prop during the live Tony Awards telecast last month:
"Personally, I wish it would have never happened. Then I could have went to the after-parties and hung with James Gandolfini and Anne Hathaway. I have a strange feeling, since I may be the only man that has been knocked out at the Tonys, it may never be forgotten. ... Seriously, I mean, who gets knocked out at the Tonys?
"I had a great time at the Tonys right up until I got knocked out. After that, it was all a little blurry due to the fact that I got my bell rung pretty good. But I have no regrets. They treated us great, and it was a freak accident."
On the winner of the most recent season of "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels", Taya Parker:
"Taya and me are still dating and having fun. Not to mention, her being Penthouse Pet of the Year doesn't suck and has its perks."
On the possibility of there being another season of "Rock Of Love":
"They would like me to do another one, and I must admit dating 20 hot, crazy women is a lot of fun."
On his upcoming autobiography, due out around the end of the year, titled "Thorns & Roses" (subtitle: "The Reality of My Rock & Roll Fantasy"):
"I must admit it is very therapeutic and at times very tough to write a book that stretches from birth to present day. However, on a very funny note, I demanded that the book be filled with pictures. Honestly, when you see my prom photo and realize that I was the original Napoleon Dynamite — well, that alone makes the purchase of the book worth it."
HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta will join STRAIGHT LINE STITCH on stage on Thursday, August 27 at the Cider House in Knoxville to perform the song "Taste Of Ashes" from SLS's 2008 album, "When Skies Wash Ashore". Famed music video director Dale "Rage" Resteghini will be on hand to film the performance for an upcoming video for MTV2's "Headbangers Ball".
STRAIGHT LINE STITCH's debut album, "When Skies Wash Ashore", was released last August via E1 Music (formerly Koch Records) under the newly created Raging Nation Records imprint. The CD was recorded at Millbrook Sound Studios in Millbrook, New York with producer Rob Caggiano (ANTHRAX, CRADLE OF FILTH, 36 CRAZYFISTS).
Sweden's KATATONIA will support PORCUPINE TREE on the following dates:
Oct. 17 - Germany - Bremen - Aladin Oct. 18 - Denmark - Copenhagen - Vega Oct. 19 - Sweden - Stockholm - Arenan Oct. 21 - Finland - Helsinki - Ice Hall Oct. 23 - Norway - Oslo - Sentrum Scene Oct. 24 - Sweden - Lund - Mejeriet
KATATONIA recently entered the studio to begin recording its eighth album for a late October release via Peaceville Records. 13 tracks are being laid down for the effort (out of which 11-12 songs will make it onto the final CD), which is being described by the band as "our most varied, diverse and possibly strongest shit all together on one and the same album."
KATATONIA's last studio album, "The Great Cold Distance", was released in 2006 via Peaceville Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Viva Emptiness" was recorded at Fascination Street studios in the outskirts of Örebro, Sweden and was mastered at the Cutting Room in Stockholm.
KATATONIA's live performance from 2006's Summer Breeze open-air festival in Germany was released as a double-disc live album/DVD, entitled "Live Consternation". The "super jewelcase" packaging features both the audio on CD and the show on DVD (including both 2.0 and 5.1 versions). The artwork was once again designed by Travis Smith and closes the visual concept for "The Great Cold Distance" phase.
Video footage of KATATONIA's March 28, 2009 concert at club 1Rock in Moscow, Russia can be view below.
Video footage of SPICE AND THE RJ BAND — the project featuring vocalist/songwriter Spice (KAISER, ex-SPIRITUAL BEGGARS) and drummer Bob Ruben (KAYSER, THE MUSHROOM RIVER BAND) — performing the SPIRITUAL BEGGARS songs "Euphoria" and "Monster Astronaut" on June 13, 2009 in Sweden can be viewed below.
SPICE AND THE RJ BAND released its sophomore album, "Shave Your Fear", in February 2009 on Scarlet Records. The CD consists of 15 songs with influences from such diverse bands as BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, THIN LIZZY, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, KYUSS and the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
Commented Spice: "I believe it is a good album to work out to, drink to, get high to, make love to, masturbate to, cut your toe nails to, take your dog for a walk to, arguing with your neighbor while standing in your dirty underwear at four o' clock in the morning to... I believe it's a good album for a lot of purposes. Just take your time."
Night Of The Vinyl Dead has released the debut album from SPICE AND THE RJ BAND on limited-edition white vinyl. Only 300 pieces are available of the LP, entitled "The Will", which was released on CD in 2007 via Scarlet Records. According to a press release, the band "is driven by an insane passion for '70s psychedelic, soul, blues, hard rock sound that never went away."
Commented Spice: "SPICE AND THE RJ BAND is my solo band. The 'R' stands for 'Bob Ruben' and the 'J' stands for 'Johann.' Johann is an old friend and an ex-roadie of a band I used to play with a couple of years ago. [In 2006] I opened an old door which led into other doors… which I decided to walk through… What I'm trying to say is, that instead of seeking riff I wanted my fingers to play, I started to let the music lead me. No genreorientated. I just let it all come out. In all kinds of beautiful shapes."
Former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe was interviewed by WeROCK City during Monroe's visit to Tokyo, Japan in March 2009. Watch the chat at this location.
Monroe is the special guest stage announcer at this year's Ruisrock festival, which is being held July 3-5 at Ruissalo in Turku, Finland. According to the festival organizers, "during the weekend Michael Monroe will pick some personal favorites from the festival's artist roster and introduce their sets. When and where these special moments will take place will be a surprise right up to the last minute."
Among the artists scheduled to appear at this year's Ruisrock festival are SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED, IN FLAMES, AMORPHIS, CHILDREN OF BODOM, DEATHSTARS and FAITH NO MORE.
HANOI ROCKS last year released a 2-CD retrospective compilation "This One's For Rock 'N' Roll - The Best Of Hanoi Rocks 1980-2008". This superb package includes 33 songs, encompassing both distinctive parts of their career, the '80s and the new millennium. The lavishly packaged set includes many previously unreleased photos and written testimonials from illustrious peers such as Alice Cooper, Ginger (THE WILDHEARTS), Dregen (BACKYARD BABIES) and Jussi 69 (THE 69 EYES).
The original lineup of the Boston-based experimental hard rock band MILLIGRAM will reunite for a September 26, 2009 performance at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Also scheduled to appear are SOLACE, ROADSAW, GOZU, THROTTLEROD and SUN GODS IN EXILE.
According to Last.fm, MILLIGRAM was formed in 1996 by ex-ONLY LIVING WITNESS vocalist Jonah Jenkins and guitarist Darryl Shepard, a one-time member of both hardcore band SLAPSHOT and stoner rock outfit ROADSAW. Initially something of a side project for both of them, the band only became a going concern two years later when bassist Bob Maloney and drummer Zephan Courtney were drafted to record the "Hello Motherfucker" debut. A sophomore album, "This is Class War", followed in early 2002. Though they disbanded only a few months later, the fruits of MILLIGRAM's final sessions were thankfully snapped up by Small Stone Records and released posthumously in 2003.
Scott Carlson (REPULSION, CATHEDRAL) is featured in Amoeba Music's "What's In My Bag?" segment in which he talks about his favorite records. Watch the clip below. Also available is footage of REPULSION performing a cover of the VENOM classic "Schizo" on June 19, 2009 at the Hellfest in Clisson, France (clip uploaded by Dave Ingham a.k.a. YouTube user "triptykon").
REPULSION is an influential grindcore/death metal band from Flint, Michigan. Their material enjoyed modest, albeit posthumous, exposure when U.K. grindcore pioneers CARCASS distributed a REPULSION compilation titled "Horrified" on their own Necrosis Records label; a subsidiary of Earache Records. With interest in REPULSION rekindled, the band decided to reform in 1990. Relapse re-released "Horrified" again in 2003, drawing attention to REPULSION once more, and prompting the band to resume concert appearances.
Various bands have recorded covers of REPULSION songs, including NAPALM DEATH, IMPALED and ENTOMBED.
Video footage of Pennsylvania-based black/death metallers SATHANAS performing on March 13, 2009 in Poznan, Poland during the European Excommunication tour can be viewed below (footage by Jakub Laczny, sound engineering by Lukasz Migdalski).
SATHANAS released its seventh full-length album, "Nightrealm Apocalypse", on February 28 via Pagan Records. The CD was mixed and mastered by Tore Sternja at Necromorbus Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. It was made available as a regular jewel case CD and limited digipack. According to a press release, the album contains "10 songs of blasphemy and disgrace played in the obscure, raw, old-school style casting their evil spells. The gates are open again and the forces of the dark has been summoned, so be prepared for total demon hell storm in the spirit of old metal!"
"Nightrealm Apocalypse" track listing:
01. Ever Falling Darkness 02. Prayers Of Armageddon 03. Cult Of Blood 04. Nightrealm Apocalypse 05. Black Witching Millennium 06. One With Satan 07. DemonHellStorm 08. Kingdom Of The Damned 09. Prophecies Of Evils To Come 10. Revel In Death
Tony Belcher of Tartarean Desire recently conducted an interview with vocalist/bassist Steev Esquivel of San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans SKINLAB. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Tartarean Desire: At one point I recall SKINLAB was reported as finished, done, over.... What caused the Houdini act?
Steev: It's been a while, but I feel the break was needed. Things were getting hectic in our personal lives, and at the time we were touring 15 months per album cycle if not more. But we are back now and still heavy as fuck. I'm sure you'll be just as stoked as we are about the new album!
Tartarean Desire: How has it been since SKINLAB regrouped?
Steev: Great! We're still the same goofballls we always were; just a little more revived and beat up. Everyone is really ready to get out there and fuck some shit up!
Tartarean Desire: Has the songwriting process changed since the "reunion"/resurrection and how was it for the upcoming record?
Steev: Not really. It's pretty much the same as we always would [write]... someone will write something and bring it in for changes and comments and we'll take it from there. We'll usually run with the idea of whoever is writing it, just to keep the same spirit and emotion they are trying to get. Then we'll bash it out at rehearsals and twist and turn shit ‘til it makes sense to us. I will say that this is the most diverse record we have ever written.... ...Not so much verse/chorus/verse. We just went for it and wrote what felt best to us.
Tartarean Desire: Are there any surprises in terms of sound this time around?
Steev: The whole album is just gonna blow everyone away! We are super proud of everything and now that's it actually being recorded with "real" tones and album quality sounds are coming out, we're all starting to freak out and get excited about the music we've created this time around. It's not n¸ metal, metalcore, black metal, comb-over metal.... We've kinda adapted our own tag — "stoner metal"...that works best.
Tartarean Desire: So what is your greatest inspiration for writing music? Aside from a band perhaps influencing you, what inspires you?
Steev: I always keep my eyes rolling and my mind racing trying to think of stupid shit to write about. The music I contributed to the new album was all about energy and emotion. Lyrically I'm still in the mode for the last few weeks here, and things are coming out more life against life situations and just looking at things from behind the smoke and mirrors and making up my own way of communications.
Tartarean Desire: What do you think of METALLICA's latest record, "Death Magnetic", and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? This band still causes lots of reaction and emotions in fans and former fans alike.
Steev: Ummm, I dig the record, actually, and I even bought two copies of "St. Anger". ...I'm not a hater. I learn off of other peoples' strengths and artistic adventures. If you don't you'll always stay boxed in. I see James [Hetfield] is singing heavy again live... that's killer!! And just the fact that they opened the doors for bands like LAMB OF GOD and MACHINE HEAD to inspire a whole new generation to heavy music and they helped to keep the ball rolling.
Tartarean Desire: Robb Flynn went from VIO-LENCE to MACHINE HEAD and you had a similar "career path" from DEFIANCE to SKINLAB (i.e., from Bay Area thrash to a more aggressive, PANTERA-influenced sound). And now you've got both DEFIANCE and SKINLAB at once. How's your "other band" going and how do you balance the two, musically and in terms of writing? How do you keep the musical and lyrical ideas separate?
Steev: Well, first off, DEFIANCE and SKINLAB are two completely different monsters. It was really easy to separate the two just because they're so different. [SKINLAB guitarist] Snake helped record the vocals for the DEFIANCE album, which was cool because he'd always let me know if I crossed over into SKINLAB mode.
Tartarean Desire: Back to the new record, do you have any information you want to share — songtitles, name of the album, etc.? When can we expect to see it?
Steev: The name of the album is "The Scars Between Us". A few titles include "Scream At The World", "Karma Burns", "Papertrails", "In For The Kill", "No More Heroes" and "Wolves' Blood". It should be released this [fall] sometime. ...It's a sick ugly bastard of an album. There's nothing pretty about it. We're back in full guttural mode.... Fans should expect this to be the best SKINLAB album yet.
Capital Chaos has uploaded video footage (see below) of SKINLAB performing on April 17, 2009 at The Kennel Club in Sacramento, California. Also on the bill were STEPCHILD, DROP SEVEN and MUCUS MEMBRANE. The show was a benefit concert for DEFTONES bassist Chi Cheng.
Fan-filmed video footage of MORBID ANGEL's June 26, 2009 concert in Quito, Ecuador can be viewed below.
"Blessed Are The Sick", the seminal death metal classic by MORBID ANGEL, will be reissued by Earache Records as a special DualDisc format redux edition on July 27.
MORBID ANGEL's second album, "Blessed Are The Sick" was originally released in 1991 and is widely regarged as one of the most important death metal releases of all time. This essential album is now due to be re-released in a deluxe, multi-panel digipack with the album on one side of the disc and an exclusive bonus DVD on the other side. The DVD side contains a brand new, exclusive one-hour documentary featuring interviews with the band and crew discussing the recording and release of the album, and highlighting the band's rise from underground heroes to worldwide flag-bearers for the death metal scene.
To celebrate this important release, a special limited-edition picture disc LP will also be issued, marking the first time the album has been available on this format.
MORBID ANGEL guitarist Trey Azagthoth recently spoke to Revolver magazine about the band's upcoming album, which will mark the Florida-based group's first release to feature bassist/vocalist David Vincent since 1995's "Domination".
"We played the new song 'Nevemore' on the last tour and that kind of shows where our heads are at," he said. "I'd say it's like an assemblage of all sorts of stuff from the catalog and some new influences. I listen to a lot of hardcore [techno] music now — the fuckin' serious, artistic stuff, not that crap you hear at the clubs. That stuff has impact and it's really extreme. Even if there's no guitar in it or no real drums, the energy coming out of the speakers is amazing."
When asked who's going to be producing the album and what label it will be on, Azagthoth replied, "All I can say is, when it's ready, it's going to be extreme and outside the box. And, hopefully, the songs will inspire people to look deeper inside themselves for 'the stuff' and to tap that potential that we as human beings have."
KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has issued the following update:
"Our new album (title of which you'll just have to wait a bit longer for) is just a few steps from being completely done. We're planning on revisiting one of the eleven songs, to make sure it's gotten everything it deserves. Maybe re-arranging it one last time. Then time to mix.
"The entire writing and recording process of the album harkened back to an earlier, more innocent time. A time that produced albums such as 'Rock And Roll Over' and 'Love Gun'. And, the new songs have that feeling, I have to say.
"It all started with a point of view Paul [Stanley, guitar/vocals] had. The view had to do with ignoring the times, ignoring the critics, not over thinking who and what we are... and that we had nothing to prove to anyone.... nothing. We have been releasing albums and touring for 35 years and why wouldn't we want to do an 'honest' record. Just do it!!! And, he wanted to produce the album himself!!!
"While it's true in the past we had produced KISS records together. And we had both produced other acts outside of KISS. But here was Paul saying he wanted to shoulder the responsibility and burden of steering the good ship KISS on his own.
"He was serious. And I saw it was real. I saw the commitment he was going to make to the album and the band... and I agreed. We all trusted each other and saw the same vision of the band... and perhaps democracy is overrated... and sooner or later, someone had to decide.
"And I will tell you here and now, he's done a great job.
"The process of writing songs involved both writing separately, but often, in hotel rooms and rehearsal halls, literally starting from scratch and throwing riffs and chords at each other. Then working on melody and lyric...starting alone, then bringing it into the rehearsal halls and even during recording, we would often critique the lyrics all the way down to the last minute.
"Tommy [Thayer, guitar] really stepped up in the songwriting area....co-wrote some songs with us and actually sings his first song on a KISS album. Eric [Singer, drums], likewise was always encouraging and of course, provided his always dependable bombastic drumming style. But unlike other drummers, Eric is also a great singer. Wait until you hear him tear it up on his lead vocal.
"What else, you ask? Well, Paul and I trade vocals on a few tunes and had a lot to say about each other's songs... Result? Maybe the best record we've done in 30 years. Bold statement? You bet.
Vocalist Jape Peratalo of Finnish gothic metallers TO/DIE/FOR — who announced their breakup in April 2009 — has issued the following update:
"I just have to let this train go on! I have been in contact with Tonmi Lillman [TO/DIE/FOR drummer] very often now, and we really are on fire again! So... TO/DIE/FOR will CONTINUE! But when our next album comes? We do not know, but it may be in 2010.
"I can already tell you that next cover song (as we always do) is gonna be DURAN DURAN, and the song called 'Of Crime And Passion'. We will do our own version [of] it, yeahhhh...
"This really feels crazy but I just can't help myself after these fucking great 'inspirationfilled' moments I got after talking with Tonmi.
"I really thought I will stop doing TO/DIE/FOR forever... but I just can't. I love it too much anyway!"
TO/DIE/FOR's fifth album, "Wounds Wide Open", was released in Finland in October 2006. The follow-up to 2005's "IV" was recorded by Samu Oittinen at Fantom Studios and by Jari-Jukka Nippala at Sonic Image, and was mixed at Sweden's Abyss Studios by Peter Tägtgren (DIMMU BORGIR, CELTIC FROST).
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